Skepta: Shutdown In NYC

FADER TV joins the UK MC on his grind to take grime global.

During a recent trip to New York, Skepta rolled with FADER TV through the city's ice-lined streets, reflecting on what connects American hip-hop and UK grime. "We all make different types of music but it's all born from poverty—it's all born from pain," he told us. The esteemed London MC has been working hard on building bridges with NYC's underground over the past couple of years: he linked with Ratking's Wiki for a US version of "That's Not Me," and A$AP Mob's Young Lord for "It's Not Safe". The success of his recent solo single "SHUTDOWN" is testament to both his formidable talent and tireless grind. He might have Kanye and Drake on his side, but that's not the be-all and end-all in the Boy Better Know co-founder's book. In this smoked out, intimate portrait, Skepta speaks movingly on why it's finally time for grime to get shine on a global scale.